Royal Canin is running summer marketing campaign focusing on felines, to help small animal practices further develop their relationships with cat-owning customers.
The 'Summer of the Cat' campaign runs till the end of August and aims to help practices boost sales with an offer of £10.99 on 1.5kg bags from the VCN Neutered range, as well as money off next purchases if bought at the same practice, to encourage return custom. The campaign is being supported with a free display package (consisting of products, posters, a temporary cardboard stand and other point of sale items) to provide maximum impact in the waiting room.
In addition, Royal Canin is rewarding clients already using its diets. The first 100 pet owners at every practice that buy any bag of Royal Canin cat food during July and August will be able to feed a homeless cat in a rescue centre on Royal Canin food for a day, and to vote for their 'rescue cat of the year' (the rescue centre of the winning cat will get food to feed up to 50 cats for a month).
Veterinary Marketing Manager, Marianne Lomberg, said: "The RSPCA has reported an 8% increase in cats entering their rescue centres from 2010 to 2012 and the trend continues. We want to help by supporting local rescue centres across the UK and Ireland. With every purchase of Royal Canin cat food during our Summer of the Cat campaign, practice customers can donate a day's worth of Royal Canin cat food to a local rescue centre."
Another part of the campaign this year is promoting responsible and respectful cat ownership. Royal Canin is doing this by giving participating practices 20 flyers for their clients to use to register at www.catwyse.co.uk - a new online cat owner education programme covering topics such as choosing a cat, grooming and managing your cat's weight.
Finally, Royal Canin is rewarding practices for the best Summer of the Cat display. Send your Veterinary Business Manager a photo of your waiting room display and you'll get a £10 high street voucher and be entered into the best display competition to win an additional £100 in high street vouchers.
Marianne added: "We know that the best way to get cats and their owners to love our diets is to try them, because their quality, benefits for the cat's health and great taste speak for themselves. Therefore, this year's campaign aims to encourage cat owners to trial our products whilst also rewarding the loyalty of our existing customers and their practices by supporting rescue centres local to them."
For more information, contact your Veterinary Business Manager.
The Royal Veterinary College has launched the Pet Diabetes App - designed to bring diabetes management in animals into the 21st century and help ongoing research into the condition.
The free app - which was designed by Dr Stijn Niessen, a Senior Lecturer in Internal Medicine and pet diabetes expert at the RVC - allows owners to help control their pet's condition by recording the factors that indicate success or failure in diabetes management.
The veterinary care team can then fine-tune treatment according to the data recorded by the owner, thereby avoiding complications associated with low and high blood sugars, as well as the costs associated with such complications.
Stijn says he had two main objectives in designing the new app. Firstly to allow owners of diabetic pets to get actively involved in the medical management of their beloved pet. Secondly to gather strictly anonymous data about diabetic pets to enable further research and development into better treatment options.
The Diabetes Log feature of the app allows users to record and then share various essential parameters with their veterinary surgeon. They include clinical signs like weight, appetite, thirst and urination changes, as well as urine and blood sugar values (for those owners who perform home blood or urine glucose testing).
The app also features:
The Diabetes App is now available for free download onto smartphones and tablets, from Android (http://bit.ly/1q3jCV5) and iPhone App stores (http://apple.co/203OoK2).
The App was developed with the support of the Rumba Foundation which helps pioneer clinical care for companion animals. You can support the work of the Rumba Foundation here: www.justgiving.com/therumbafoundation”
The BVA says that securing 'Great Workplaces' will be a collaborative assessment process.
Each workplace will have a dedicated, experienced accreditor from a veterinary background, who will work with leadership teams and employees to gather a full picture of their workplace.
Workplaces will be assessed in four main areas: health and wellbeing, leadership and management, culture, and learning and development.
Successful workplaces will achieve either gold or silver accreditation.
Those that don’t meet the criteria yet will be recognised as ‘working towards’ accreditation and will be supported to make the changes needed to achieve success next time around.
Successful workplaces will hold their accreditation for three years and at the end of that period they will be required to undergo reassessment to retain their accredited status.
BVA President Anna Judson said: “As well as attracting more people to join our veterinary profession, ensuring we retain the incredible talent we already have is critical to building a resilient and sustainable veterinary workforce.
"Positive workplace culture is central to achieving this and Great Workplaces by BVA is an innovative new approach that puts the well-being of vet teams front and centre.
"The knock-on impact will be good for vets and vet practices, good for clients and ultimately, good for animal welfare.
Photo: BVA
“Workplaces accredited under this new scheme, will be seen as employers of choice, attracting top talent who seek fulfilling careers and a healthy work-life balance.
"For existing team members, working in a recognised Great Workplace could enhance job satisfaction.”
A number of workplaces have already undertaken Great Workplaces accreditation during a series of pilots in 2023.
Two, Westport Veterinary Clinic in Linlithgow and South Moors in Devon, have become the first veterinary workplaces to receive a silver accreditation.
Fiona Leathers at Westport Veterinary Clinic, said: "At Westport Veterinary Clinic, our collaboration with the British Veterinary Association and its Great Workplaces accreditation scheme has been transformative.
"It has given us invaluable insights into how this initiative positively impacts workplace culture and employee well-being.
“The simplicity of the accreditation process and the approachable nature of BVA’s accreditors facilitated seamless integration of the scheme’s principles into our daily routines.
"The tangible impact of the Great Workplaces accreditation has been profound.
"It's fostered a more inclusive, supportive, and cohesive environment, elevating employee satisfaction and bolstering team morale significantly.
"This experience extends beyond personal growth; it solidifies our belief in cultivating healthy work cultures.”
www.bva.co.uk/great-workplaces
The Association of Private Pet Cemeteries & Crematoria (APPCC) has launched a new leaflet for bereaved pet owners, which will be distributed to veterinary practices.
Kevin Spurgeon, Director of the APPCC said: "The feelings of grief and loss that pet owners go through after the death of their pet is often not fully appreciated. The idea of the leaflet is to help owners understand and deal with the emotions they are experiencing more. If the pet is part of a family then several people along with other pets may be affected - it may even be the first experience of death for some."
The leaflet was written and produced for the APPCC by Jane Matthews, author of Losing a Pet (http://www.smallbooks.co.uk/), and has had support from several experienced pet bereavement counsellors and the nationwide Pet Bereavement Support Service run by SCAS (www.scas.org.uk). It covers a variety of subjects, including:
According to the APPCC, studies have shown that as many as 1 in 4 pet owners take time off of work after the death of their pet with nearly half of all those surveyed having taking annual leave after their loss. Pet crematoriums have also noticed an upturn in the numbers of people taking a hands-on approach by choosing to arrange an individual cremation for their pet directly with the crematorium.
The APPCC plans to distribute the leaflets to its members, pet bereavement counsellors and veterinary surgeries throughout the UK and believes this is a major step forward in both acknowledging pet bereavement and helping those affected by it. The leaflet will also be available to download from the main APPCC website www.appcc.org.uk as well as through many of the members own sites.
Ceva Animal Health has highlighted a new meta-analysis1 which, according to the company, reveals that there is a significant (P< 0.001) association between the use of pharmacotherapy (fluoxetine and clomipramine) or pheromonatherapy (Feliway) and reduction or elimination of feline urine marking.
Ceva says this is the first time a meta-analysis technique has been used to evaluate the efficacy of interventions in veterinary behavioural medicine; the study assessed all published papers covering treatments for feline urine spraying. Ten studies in nine publications were analysed, despite their different study designs. In order to carry out the meta-analysis, the papers were rated according to importance and a 'placebo-effect' was calculated. Primary and secondary outcomes were also identified, with the primary outcome being the 'number of cats that either ceased or reduced spraying by at least 90%' and the secondary outcome being 'the number of cats that reduce spraying from baseline levels'.
Information is available by calling Lucy Brett at CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510.
1. A meta-analysis of studies of treatments for feline urine spraying. Daniel S Mills, Sarah E Redgate, Gary M Landsberg. PLos ONE, April 2011, Volume 6, Issue 4
Bayer Animal Health, maker of Advantage, has produced a new animation to educate pet owners about fleas.
The three minute animation, which is available on YouTube (below), is also available from Bayer for practices to play in the waiting room.
For a copy of the animation, contact your local Bayer Animal Health Territory Manager. More information is also available at http://www.advantagespoton.co.uk/.
Taking over from Carl Gorman, Julian says his focus is to continue the work undertaken this year as part of a ‘programme of change’ for BSAVA, that will continue to promote the strong sense of community within the membership and the wider profession.
Speaking at the BSAVA AGM, Julian said: “I am very humbled as I stand here today as your 67th President. It is certainly the pinnacle of my veterinary career, and the greatest honour yet bestowed on me in life.
"We continue to live in exciting times at BSAVA, and as ever, I join a team of utterly amazing staff at Woodrow House.
“I really do believe that the BSAVA will continue to go from strength to strength and will continue to maintain its relevance and position as the indispensable voice of the small animal veterinary profession.”
Julian started volunteering for the BSAVA after his graduation within the Southeastern Regional committee, becoming Chair of the committee after a few years.
He then became part of the BSAVA Education Committee, BSAVA PetSavers Grants Awarding Committee, and was lately part of the Publications Committee.
He then joined the Presidential ladder two years ago as Junior Vice President.
Outside of his volunteering for the BSAVA, he was at Crossways Vets in West Sussex for 17 years, initially as a partner, then as an owner, and finally as a Clinical Director.
He has since stepped down from the practice to devote his time to being BSAVA President this year.
Invetx specialises in developing protein-based therapeutics for chronic conditions in companion animals, with a focus on monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).
Dechra says these therapies have targeted modes of action and therefore are often more effective, provide an extended duration of activity and have fewer side effects, all of which help to extend and improve the quality of life for companion animals while decreasing the care burden for pet owners.
Jesper Nordengaard, Chief Executive Officer of Dechra, said: "I regard this acquisition as hugely important for Dechra, marking the start of a new chapter in our growth.
"It demonstrates our ambition to create further points of differentiation and relevance with veterinarians and pet owners alike, confidence in our ability to deliver highly innovative new products, and capacity to execute large scale transactions at speed."
Jesper added: “The half-life extension technology developed by Invetx allows for the generation of therapeutics that make treatment of chronic conditions far more convenient for pet owners and veterinarians through improved compliance.
"The pipeline of products currently being developed are all high value potential and will deepen our expertise in core therapeutic areas such as atopic dermatitis and osteoarthritis, allowing for synergistic product development, sales & marketing, and education efforts in the future.”
https://www.invetx.com
BEVA Congress 2021 will now take place from September 4th-7th 2021.
The decision to cancel Congress 2020 was taken by BEVA Council and the Congress programme committee because of the unpredictable circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic.
Tim Mair, President of BEVA said: “The overriding factor in our decision-making process was to protect everyone attending Congress. We are chartering unknown territory at the moment and the additional planning requirements needed to run a large event like BEVA Congress with social distancing measures in place will take time.
“We intend for September 2021 to mark an exciting, fresh start for the profession following the harrowing experiences of 2020. It should be safe for our international speakers and delegates to attend by then, getting us all back on track with networking and world-class CPD to inspire us for the new post Covid-19 world.”
Tickets for BEVA Congress 2021 will be available later this year, more information from: www.bevacongress.org.
Delivered in a case-based style, the course will give students the chance to work through cases and apply practical theory before treating feline patients.
There are four modules: the consultation, further investigations, treatment, and post-operative and preventative care.
ICC says the emphasis is on providing practical skills that can be used in clinic.
On completion, students will have the confidence to identify a range of dental abnormalities, persuade cat owners to consent to further investigation and treatment, and formulate and carry out the ideal treatment plan for each cat.
Dr. Matthew Oxford BVM&S GPCert(SAS) MRCVS, who helped develop the course, said: "Dentistry is poorly represented in undergraduate veterinary courses, with feline specific dentistry perhaps only having one or two lectures, yet dentistry accounts for roughly 25% of all general surgery.
"This transformational course uses a very practical approach to case management taking vets from the initial consultation, through anaesthesia, dental radiography, surgery, and then postoperative care.
"Cases are worked through with extensive teaching material supplemented into cases to provide a pragmatic, case-based approach.”
Pre-registration for the course is available until 1st November with an early bird price of £299 (+VAT) available using the discount code NEWCBL50 at the checkout.
For more information, to check eligibility and prerequisites, and to sign up, visit https://bit.ly/3GpFXo4
Dr Wendy Talbot BVSc DipECEIM MRCVS, Equine National Veterinary Manager at Zoetis said: “Fast equine faecal egg count results are crucial for the appropriate and timely treatment of gastrointestinal parasites, and to detect the increasingly concerning issue of dewormer resistance in horses.
"This technology is proven to be as accurate at identifying Strongyle spp. and Parascaris spp. as a board-certified parasitologist, delivering fast, reliable and shareable results within 10 minutes.1”
Zoetis says study results have demonstrated the AI capability within the Vetscan Imagyst to be up to 99% in agreement with board-certified parasitologist results1.
This, says the company, allows for rapid identification of high shedders versus low shedders to enable strategic targeted deworming protocols to be implemented.
Reference
The practice will offer 24/7 care with the same team managing both daytime and out-of-hours emergencies to offer continuity and familiarity for clients and their pets.
Facilities at the practice include heated hospital cages for small mammals such as rabbits and rodents, custom-built vivaria with species-appropriate UV lighting tailored to different reptile requirements and advanced diagnostic and surgical equipment specifically designed for exotic animal care.
Molly said: "We know that exotic pets require highly specialised care and our mission is to provide that expertise with compassion.
"Our entire team is trained and experienced in handling, treating, and advising on a diverse range of exotic species.
"We are committed to providing the highest standard of care for every animal that comes through our doors.”
The practice is now open for new client registrations.
www.theexoticanimalvets.co.uk
New research amongst veterinary professionals conducted by CEVA Animal Health, manufacturer of D.A.P.® and Feliway®, has revealed that pet owners may be unintentionally fuelling their pets' noise phobias in the run up to the fireworks' season.
According to CEVA's research, up to 95% react inappropriately, for example petting an anxious pet during firework exposure rather than making an effort to ignore the fireworks, thereby reassuring the animal by behaving normally.
The research also suggested that 77% of clients have never taken action to address their pets' noise phobias as fireworks' season is only an annual occurrence. This is despite evidence that noise phobias can affect pets all year round and tend to become worse over time.
In addition, if owners do seek advice from their vet for noise phobias, it is at the last minute. It is estimated that 46% of clients leave it until the day before the fireworks are due to start before seeking help.
Lucy Brett, product manager at CEVA Animal Health said: "Owners are not doing enough to reduce their pets' firework fears and prevent noise phobias from developing.
"Taking early, proactive action within the practice is the best way to help dogs with pre-existing firework phobias as well as those with mild fears which, if left untreated, may develop into more serious noise phobias."
CEVA Animal Health and Sound Therapy 4 Pets have once again joined forces with the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC), Feline Advisory Bureau (FAB) and PDSA to launch a 'Remember, remember your pets this November' campaign to provide owners with advice on how to look after their pets during the firework season and the precautions they should take to help them cope with their fear of fireworks.
The initiative features a wide range of advice including how to use synthetic copies of natural pheromones, D.A.P. ® and Feliway®, to help comfort and reassure fearful pets, creating a comforting den for dogs to retreat to during firework exposure and treating noise phobias using behavioural therapy with the Sounds Scary desensitisation CD (which is the only behavioural therapy product for noise phobias supported by the RSPCA).
For further information, please visit www.petfireworkfear.co.uk.
Ceva Animal Health has rebranded its nutraceutical supplements for cats and dogs under its Logic brand.
The new Logic range, which previously included the company's dental products, now includes Logic Diar-Stop (previously known as Diarsanyl Plus) for digestive health, Logic Flexivet, a joint supplement and Logic Senilife, a nutraceutical which Ceva says has been shown to manage the signs of brain ageing.
The range is available in consumer-friendly packaging and a merchandising unit is available to showcase the products in practice.
Claire Russell, consumer product manager at Ceva Animal Health said: "The new Logic range provides veterinary practices with an extensive portfolio of respected veterinary strength supplements and dental products, with more exciting and innovative products to come in the pipeline."
For further information on the Logic range, visit www.logicforpets.co.uk, contact your local Ceva Animal Health territory manager or call Ceva's customer support team on 01494 781510.
The Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, Rebecca Evans, has officially opened the new Wales Veterinary Science Centre.
The centre, which is located on the site of the former Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) Veterinary Investigation Centre, has been established by Iechyd Da, a consortium of independent veterinary practices based in Wales together with Welsh Lamb and Beef Producers Ltd, and Aberystwyth University.
Iechyd Da was recently appointed by APHA as a third party provider to deliver expert post-mortem examinations of new and re-emerging diseases of farm animals. The service has been operational since April 2015.
Deputy Minister Rebecca Evans AM said: "I am pleased to officially open the Wales Veterinary Science Centre, which will significantly strengthen and enhance the important contribution the veterinary profession makes to rural life in Wales and raises standards of animal health and welfare. It will also bolster the rural economy by securing technical jobs for the area, benefit the wider economy by supporting our farming communities, and be an asset to the UK by contributing valuable data to the surveillance network."
Professor Christianne Glossop, Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales said: "The Centre will have a significant role in the protection of animals in Wales and will provide an important contribution to a successful and resilient farming industry, reflecting the essential role of the veterinary profession in Wales."
Phil Thomas, Director of Iechyd Da said: "Iechyd Da now looks forward to building on the post-mortem provision already available so that we can provide a range of services, from running training courses for animal keepers to dissection classes for students, continuous professional development for practicing vets, and supporting disease eradication schemes. The vision is of a One Health institute that recognises the interlocking, overlapping relationships between people, livestock, the wildlife and the environment around us."
Richard Irvine, Head of Scanning Surveillance and the Surveillance Intelligence Unit at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) said: "I look forward to APHA working in close partnership with the Wales Veterinary Science Centre to provide expert diagnostic support and surveillance intelligence for veterinary practices and farmers in Wales. Only by working together can we create an effective disease surveillance network, and I urge farmers and vets in Wales to make use of the considerable expertise that exists within the Wales Veterinary Science Centre and APHA."
Now, when you advertise a job on VetSurgeon.org, the system can send a message to all your employees (and any contacts in the profession) asking them to pass it on if they know anyone suitable, and to share the advertisement on their other social networks, such as Facebook.
As a further option, practices can also now offer a cash reward for a successful introduction leading to the post being filled. In that case, the message sent to employees and contacts lets them know that there’s a reward for their help.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "Since we relaunched VetSurgeon Jobs, I’ve noticed a correlation between the number of times that job advertisements are shared by email or on Facebook, and the success that practices have in filling the vacancy.
"Of course, there is nothing to stop you emailing staff and contacts yourself, or offering a reward. But I suspect many don’t, and my hope is that this new feature will really help focus the mind, streamline the process and ultimately help you find the person who'll fit in with your team."
"Share & Reward is another feature exclusively available on VetSurgeon Jobs, alongside the VetSurgeon Locums Map and Find Our Jobs on VetSurgeon (a badge for your website that links to just your jobs).
"There's more on the way!"
Almost all rabies cases are as a result of being bitten by an infected dog, with around half of all dog bites and rabies deaths occurring in children under 15 years of age. Rabies, which is preventable, is categorised as one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The End Rabies Now campaign aims to significantly raise the profile of rabies as a global neglected tropical disease with policy makers and journalists, explaining what is being done to control and eliminate the disease. The campaign is led by Global Alliance for Rabies Control (GARC), and has three key messages:
Ahead of the tenth World Rabies Day, BVA has also recognised vet Professor Sarah Cleaveland OBE for her work in rabies control by awarding her the Chiron Award, one of the Association’s most prestigious awards for outstanding contributions to veterinary science.
Sarah said: "Awards like this are recognition of the contributions not only of one person, but the work of many. We are deeply committed to continuing our efforts towards the global elimination of canine rabies and tackling other zoonotic diseases that affect the health and livelihoods of many of the poorest people in the world."
The End Rabies Now campaign is based around the strong scientific evidence that vaccinating dogs is fundamental to disrupting the cycle of rabies transmission to humans. The target of 2030 was chosen because one of the UN’s sustainable development goals, launched in September 2015, includes the ambition to end by 2030 neglected tropical diseases such as rabies.
With 120 countries still affected by canine rabies, the End Rabies Now campaign advocates that collaborative cross-sector efforts are needed to end zoonotic diseases such as rabies: rabies elimination plans must include human and animal government agencies, veterinary and human health professionals, educators, scientists and community groups.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "The work being done worldwide by vets, human health professionals and others to combat this horrific disease that senselessly kills thousands each year is of the utmost importance and BVA is proud to support the End Rabies Now campaign and help get those key messages out to policy makers and governments worldwide – every rabies death is entirely preventable and we can end rabies by 2030 through vaccinating dogs."
One set of guidelines deals with intoxication from pyrethrins commonly found in flea control products or ant powders, whilst the other covers macrocyclic lactone poisoning which most often occurs due to accidental ingestion of large animal anthelmintic products.
Both intoxications are commonly associated with severe neurological symptoms.
Will Peel, Product Manager at TVM UK said: "Our guidelines have proved very useful to veterinary staff and we have received requests from vets to add new guidelines for antiparasiticide intoxications. Our focus is on helping veterinary staff provide the best possible care for their patients so we hope that these new guidelines will prove beneficial."
The guidelines can be downloaded free from https://www.tvm-uk.com/vet-resource-library.
Advance25 Courses provide 25 hours of CPD in important areas of small animal practice, including Small Animal Medicine Cases Challenges, Emergency Medicine, Abdominal Ultrasound and Thoracic and Abdominal Radiology.
Advance25 courses run for a 6 week period, with tutor support. Recorded and live sessions are combined with discussion of multiple cases. Course materials are then accessible for 12 months.
Susie Coughlan, Managing Director of CPD Solutions said: "We appreciate that there is a high demand for quality online options at the moment, with many vets limited to online CPD.
"With the new Advance25 courses we’ve added more tutor support and ongoing interaction for those who are looking for a more immersive experience providing extended CPD hours. We’re really excited about these courses, which are launching now and running in the autumn. They should help vets make a real difference in their practices; they’re fully flexible and will fit with many people’s family and work commitments.’
For more information and to enter a prize draw to win a free Advance25 course, visit: https://www.cpd-solutions.com/advance25
CEVA Animal Health has published a trial which, according to the company, shows that horses suffering lameness caused by bone spavin can show marked improvement following treatment with a Tiludronate infusion, in combination with controlled exercise.
Bone spavin is a chronic aseptic osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints which, says CEVA, is considered to be one of the most common forms of hindlimb lameness in the horse.
The double-blind, multicentric, placebo-controlled trials were carried out on a total of 108 pleasure horses, show jumpers and eventers of a variety of sizes and breeds, all of which had been clinically diagnosed with bone spavin. The horses were rigorously selected, having to show clinical signs of spontaneous lameness of at least six weeks but less than a year's duration and had to be in daily exercise. Horses suffering proximal suspensory desmitis were excluded.
Horses were defined as suffering from bone spavin if they displayed a chronic hindlimb lameness which improved with distal tarsal joint analgesia and showed radiographic evidence of bony changes associated with bone spavin in the distal tarsal joints. The horses were treated at day zero with a single Tiludronate infusion or a placebo and reassessed 60 days later after a period of controlled exercise.
Eighty seven horses completed the trials, comprising 42 Tiludronate treated horses and 45 placebo cases. By day 60 approximately 60% of the Tiludronate treated horses had improved in lameness by two grades or more, scored on a ten point system.
Horses with bone spavin experience abnormal bone remodeling changes, occasionally with excessive bone resorption in the tarsal bones. Tiludronate works by regulating this bone remodeling through a decrease in the resorptive process, slowing down the degradation of the bone structure when the condition is progressing and alleviating the pain associated with abnormal bone lysis.
CEVA has recently produced a leaflet specifically to help horse owners to understand the diagnosis and treatment of bone spavin. For copies of this leaflet and CEVA's comprehensive veterinary brochure on the product please contact CEVA Animal Health on 01494 781510 or visit the website at http://www.tildren.com/
Tiludronate infusion in the treatment of bone spavin: A double blind placebo-controlled trial
Reference M. R. GOUGH*, D. THIBAUD† and R. K. W. SMITH‡ (*CEVA Animal Health, Bucks, UK; †CEVA Animal Health USA, Kansas, USA; and ‡Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, UK). Equine vet. J. (2010) 42 (5) 381-387 doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00120.x
VetSurgeon member Viki Edmondson MRCVS is taking part in a drive to help 13-year-old Octavia Woodward, who was born with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), raise £100,000 to help The SMA Trust.
Viki, a well-known vet in the carriage driving world, will be joining Octavia on 'Octavia's Mad Marathon', a five-day, 110 mile carriage drive from Windsor to Wincanton.
Octavia will be driving her pony, Diddy, with her mother Henrietta as co-driver. Meanwhile, Viki will be driving a pair of Gelderlander horses. They'll be leaving the main ring at the Royal Windsor Horse Show with a support crew at 3:30pm on 13th May.
Viki graduated from Bristol Veterinary School in 1993. Since 2001 she has run her own equine practice plus a small animal surgery from the Newdigate, Surrey farm she shares with husband Peter. Viki has known Octavia since she was born and it was Viki who paired up Diddy with Octavia and encouraged her to progress from walking round the roads to the excitement of "off-roading". Viki will be providing support and encouragement to Octavia during the trip - of course with any veterinary help being close by.
To support Viki and Octavia, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/vikithevet
A YouGov poll commissioned at the start of this month's National Vaccination Month Campaign by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health has shown that pet vaccination rates nationally have remained stable between 2009 and 2011 despite the recession.
This could suggest that pet owners who do vaccinate generally accept that vaccination is not a discretionary item of spending which can be dropped in financially hard times. This is in contrast to worming, pet insurance and health checks, things which the survey found that between 6% and 9% of owners have cut back on.
Nevertheless, the survey supported industry data which shows that very considerable numbers of Britain's pets are left unvaccinated, with strong regional variations:
According to the YouGov survey, cost is a factor in more than 39% of cases where owners of a cat, dog, rabbit or horse are failing to vaccinate.
However, during National Vaccination Month, pet owners can download a voucher for a discounted vaccination offering savings of around £30 from participating surgeries throughout May. Unvaccinated and eligible dogs, cats, rabbits and horses are all included in the scheme and more than 2000 vet practices are taking part in the campaign nationwide.
Angus Robinson from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "The survey suggests that not only is there a demand for National Vaccination Month - 76% of those not vaccinating said they would take advantage of a scheme like this. But there is also a real need for client education. A staggering 91% of those polled said they would get their pet vaccinated if they were aware that there was disease in their area. Without wishing to scare people, we do need to alert pet owners to the fact that pet disease is out there. It is the kind of thing that they never think is going to happen to their beloved pet but when it does, it is devastating."
Dr. Tracy Hill, a specialist in internal medicine, has joined the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, bringing with her expertise in interventional radiology.
Tracy completed a fellowship in interventional radiology and endoscopy at the Animal Medical Centre in New York, will be researching new techniques in this developing field.
She will also work in the clinic at the School's Hospital for Small Animals and as a senior lecturer.
She said: "Interventional radiology is an emerging and expanding area in veterinary medicine. Interventional radiology employs the use of fluoroscopy and endoscopy to enable minimally invasive treatments for diseases in many body systems. These techniques often reduce morbidity, mortality, or cost associated with more invasive procedures. The Dick Vet has been performing interventional cardiac procedures for some time and we are looking to expand this field into treatment of non-cardiac diseases."
Tracy, who carried out her residency in small animal internal medicine at North Carolina State University, where she also completed a PhD, will help the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh to provide interventional radiology procedures.
This includes a minimally invasive treatment for certain liver shunts using a procedure only being regularly performed at a handful of veterinary hospitals in the world. In this procedure, fluoroscopic guidance is used to access the abnormal vessels in the abdomen via a catheter placed in the jugular vein in the neck. The abnormal shunt vessel is then closed using coil embolization, without the need for abdominal surgery.
Tracey said: "I am delighted to join the Dick Vet. There is no denying the expertise at the vet school, as well as its partnership with The Roslin Institute for research."
Three bursaries are available - two in ruminant and one in companion animal research, each worth up to £4,000.
Annabelle Mohring, Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health said: "We appreciate that the last 18 months have been challenging for many veterinary surgeons and adding new research to this may not be considered a priority. But with the pace of change rapidly increasing, improving business skills and scientific knowledge will become more important than ever for the profession.
"Research forms the foundation of the industry and being awarded a bursary has proved to be a career-changing experience for some participants. We're now welcoming applications as part of our investment in the veterinary community."
Each project should be completed within one to two years and the veterinary surgeon proposals will be judged by objective third party university academics to ensure independent assessment.
The deadline for the MSD Animal Health Veterinary Surgeon Research Bursaries is 30th November 2021.
For further information, visit: www.msdahresearchbursary.co.uk.
Photo: Hattie Barnes who was awarded the 2020 Veterinary Surgeon Bursary in the companion animal sector. She was awarded £4,000 for her analytical, cadaver-based study to investigate different draping protocols in elective orthopaedic surgery. Hattie is currently undertaking a 3-year residency in Equine Surgery at the University of Liverpool.
Veterinary surgeons are being called on to help recruit dogs for a clinical study called EPIC - the Evaluation of Pimobendan In dogs with Cardiomegaly caused by pre-clinical mitral valve disease (MVD).
The long-term study, which is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, will assess whether using pimobendan in the pre-clinical phase of MVD has a benefit in extending the time to the onset of clinical signs. It involves 36 centres globally with the aim of recruiting 360 dogs in total. In order for dogs to be eligible for the study they must:
The three veterinary cardiologists from the UK involved in the randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel group study are Adrian Boswood MA VetMB DipECVIM-ca DVC MRCVS from the Royal Veterinary College (the RVC) in Hertfordshire, Sarah Smith MA VetMB DVC MRCVS from Sarah Smith Cardiology in Derbyshire and Mark Patteson MA VetMB, PhD DVC CertVR MRCVS from Heart Vets at Vale Referrals, Gloucestershire.
Adrian Boswood, veterinary cardiologist from RVC said: "The implications of this study for dogs and their owners could be enormous. If the research shows that pimobendan is effective before clinical signs of MMVD appear, this could lead to a new treatment option for practitioners."
For further information on the study or if you have a dog that may be suitable for the trial, please contact the nearest study investigator - Adrian Boswood on 01707 666605, Sarah Smith on 07515 359241 or Mark Patteson on 01453 547934.